#durdle

“Durdle Door Night Lights”

By Callum White

Durdle Door, Wareham, UK (by Graham Pengelly)

Hanna, Ships Navigator or Grand Arbiter Augustin IV

Sorry it’s been a while guys, it’s been a busy couple of weeks again. A few weeks ago I was asked to do an article for Hanna, Ship’s Navigator outlining some of the technology for a prison/stax deck. Since she was only just recently reprinted, I have never actually thought about using her for commander. But after doing some research, I have found that the cards found in most of her decks are very similar to my old Hokori, Dust Drinker deck I wrote some time ago. I love decks like this, and I was tempted to buy the new archenemy set and build a very similar deck with Grand Arbiter Augustin IV piloting the deck and use it as the archenemy. This should be interesting. 

The Grind Begins 

Not everyone will enjoy playing against this deck, if anyone at all. But as an archenemy deck, it’s awesome. Let’s start with the orbs, Orb of Dreams, Static Orb, Winter Orb, Mindlock Orb and Torpor Orb. These alone will go a long way to slowing the game down. Dovin Baan’s limit break will do something similar. Thalia, Heretic Cathar and Frozen Aether will also slow the game down significantly or at least prevent your opponents from getting too far ahead. Of course, I haven’t forgotten my old favorite Hokori, Dust Drinker too.

That’s Lands Sorted, Now Spells 

Lands are slowed down. Now we need to increase the cost of spells. Thalia’s former self, Thalia, Guardian of Thraben, Thorn of Amethyst and Vryn Wingmare all make noncreature spells cost more to cast. Then Lodestone Golem makes nonartifact spells cost more to cast. Ethersworn Canonist, Curse of Exhaustion and Eidolon of Rhetoric limit the amount of spells that can be cast during a turn. Grand Arbiter Augustin IV himself makes your opponents spells cost more whilst making yours cheaper. Finally Aura of Silence makes your opponents Artifacts and Enchantments significantly more expensive. 

The Frustration is almost Tangible 

Now that we’ve pissed everyone off, because lands don’t untap and spells cost too much, anything that your opponents do is probably going to be trying to get rid of you. Combine all of the above with things like Blind Obedience and Authority of the Consuls to slow down the quicker creatures. Propaganda, Windborn Muse and Ghostly Prison among similar effects should also be used to avoid getting overwhelmed. Crawlspace and Silent Arbiter can also work to this end. Finally Angelic Arbiter means that they can either attack or cast spells but not both. Bring them to their knees. 

The Bad News, but with a Silver Lining 

You have probably noticed that most of these effects imply “player” rather than “opponents” meaning that your lands don’t untap, your spells cost more and you will generally be subject to the same misery. Packing more Mana rocks into the deck are a potential way around this, along with the relevant Medallions (Sapphire and Pearl) and Grand Arbiter Augustin IV offers some relief. This deck also lacks a real win condition besides beating your opponents into eventual submission (Rage Quitting) with painful amounts of grinding. I thought that using mill effects with Rest in Peace could be a potential way around this perhaps. It’s entirely up to you. 

And Finally...